Winterizing Your Home Can Save Energy, Money and Inconvenience.

Here’s a checklist of things to do:

• Check your furnace and ducts. Have an HVAC professional inspect your furnace and clean your ducts. Make sure your filter is clean, and change it monthly. If ducts are exposed, insulate them. Consider buying a programmable thermostat.

• Add extra insulation. If you can see the ceiling joists in the attic, chances are you don’t have enough insulation. Either hire a professional or get advice from your local hardware store.

• Find and repair air leaks. On a windy day, hold a lit incense stick near windows, doors, electrical outlets, etc. Seal any leaks. Consider buying energy efficient windows. In the meantime, install storm windows or insulating film.

• Check the roof, gutters and downspouts. Make sure the roof flashing is sound and replace worn shingles. Clean out gutters and downspouts. Install downspout extensions to direct water at least 10 feet away from the house.
• Seal out pests. Rake away debris and edible vegetation from the foundation. Seal any potential entry points. Secure crawlspace and attached garage entrances.

• Prepare your pipes. Insulate exposed plumbing pipes. Drain garden hoses and air conditioner pipes.

• Reverse the direction of ceiling fans. This pulls warm air down into the room and circulates it.